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30 April 2015

With all of the interesting new bath bomb designs that Lush have brought out for their Oxford Street store, this bath bomb stands out for all of the wrong reasons. Next to the likes of The Experimenter and Sacred Lotus, this one seems a little anti-climatic to look at. However, as I've learned in the past, you should never judge a product by image alone.

Yoga Bomb is designed to be a relaxing experience. From the ingredients it features, the colours it emits - even down to the way it unravels in the water, this bath bomb is for those who need to take a break and unwind. And while you'd argue that most bath bombs are created for this purpose, this particular ballistic goes that extra mile.

Containing olibanum, sandalwood and Ho Wood Oil, this bath bomb offers a wholesome and very sensual experience for anyone who has the pleasure of using one in the tub. The latter ingredient was unknown to me before I came across this bath bomb so I had to do a little research to find out what exactly it added to the scent of this product.I found out that it is derived from the leaves and branches of a tree known as Camphora - a rare but popular tree that resides mostly in Japan. Distilled from the branches and leaves of this particular plant, the oil has a very gentle floral aroma that is coupled with an almost citrusy note. While it's not the same zesty smell that you would expect from a fruit, there is a definite bright and radiant element about it that gives this impression to the user.

Coupled with the sandalwood and olibanum, this bath bomb has a very unique smell - a sort of warm, floral, woody scent with a spicy citrus element as well. It's rather beautiful to behold and possesses an aroma unlike anything else that Lush currently offer in their stores.

When Yoga Bomb hits the water, the bomb immediately reacts to the water - ebbing thick, creamy-looking orange foam across the surface of the tub. For a while, it looks as if the bath bomb is going to produce a sea of green as well. However, it takes a few minutes for the other colours to come out, and it is then that a stream of blueish/green, followed by a pastel-purple spews out and paints the surface of the water.What is really impressive is that this foam stays present for quite a while, so by the time the bath bomb has completely dissolved, you have swirls of colour that stretch across the entire tub. Coupled with the beautiful streams of silver lustre that thread themselves throughout the colour, Yoga Bomb really creates a masterpiece - one you could almost imagine seeing in a gallery.Once the bath has settled, you're left with a rich, golden and rather burnt looking orange water that smells really strong and feels like liquid silk on the body. I couldn't believe how quickly the condition of my skin improved after only being in the tub for 2-3 minute. By the time I got out, I felt soft and radiant - my mind rested and my body relaxed.Despite it's rather boring looking design, this bath bomb is stunning in the tub and one that I would definitely buy again. It gave me a wonderful experience that left me feeling and smelling gorgeous, and did help me to feel much more rested and relaxed after a long day at work. Lush now need to work on bringing out a corresponding perfume for fans of the scent - I for one would be the first to sign myself up for a bottle.Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Perfume, Cream Of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Cassie Absolute (Acacia farnesiana), Olibanum Oil (Boswellia carteri), Ho Wood Oil (Cinnamomu camphora), Sandalwood Oil (Santalum austro-caledonicum viell), Water (Aqua), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Limonene, Eugenol, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Snowflake, Frosty Holly and Gold Glimmer Lustre (Potassium Aluminium Silicata, Titanium Dioxide, Colour 19140, Colour 42090, Synthetic Fluorphlogite, Colour 77492, Silicia), COlour 45410, Colour 42090.

29 April 2015

'Let it go, let it gooooooo, you can't hold me back any mooooore!'. Every since Lush hinted that one of their bath bombs was inspired by the Disney sensation, Frozen, I've found myself singing that song over and over again. Funnily enough, while my flatmates are relishing in my newfound 'love' for the song, I am currently fighting the urge to gouge out my ears and feed them to the neighbour's dog.

Truth be told - I don't think I have found a song as irritating as this one in a good many years, if ever. As you can imagine, I already felt a little resentful towards the bath bomb before I had even removed it from the wrapper, and I was not expecting much from it at all. Imagine my delight then, when I was greeted with a bath bomb that surpassed all of my expectations and has gone on to be one of my favourite bath bombs from Lush.

Frozen plays the part when it comes to its design - a pale, pearly-blue shell decorated with a darker blue waist band and the faintest hint of lustre on the surface. While it looks exactly how you would imagine a Frozen-inspired bath bomb to look, it definitely surprised me when it came to the scent.

Containing both grapefruit and neroli oil, this bath bomb has a beautifully-gentle but equally poignant fragrance. The sweetness of the neroli comes through perfectly here - a wonderful fresh floral smell that gives this bath bomb the same scent as the popular Happy Happy Joy Joy Conditioner.

Alongside this is an uplifting, fruity layer of grapefruit that compliments the floral element and gives Frozen such a relaxing, beautiful smell. I happen to think that this product is a perfect springtime bath bomb. The reason I say this is simple - while most people don't enjoy taking baths when the weather is hot, when you do you want something light and uplifting; something that gives off a strong aroma but one not so potent that it's cloying or heavy on the senses. This ballistic is exactly that.

As if the fragrance wasn't impressive enough, the bath bomb is even more exciting in the tub. Upon hitting the water, Frozen immediately begins to fizz - rocking back and forth as it spews out a thick, creamy white foam that spreads out across the surface of the bath. At the same time, the centre of the ballistic opens up and begins to ebb out a beautiful trail of blue foam.

This explosion of colour goes on for a good ten minutes - creating a blanket that covers most of the surface and turning the water into the most stunning shade of blue I have ever seen from a bath bomb. I'd describe it's colour as almost a dark cyan, which I think is really fitting for the theme of the product.

While the bath bomb is full of lustre, it doesn't leave a mess on your skin and instead washes away with ease. However, while you're in the tub, the glitter glistens and swirls beneath the surface and gives the water almost a pearl-eque effect. Together, the blue and the lustre offer that icy feel about it - perfectly in-keeping with the Frozen theme.

Despite the lack of oils and butters in this bath bomb, it is incredibly moisturising and my skin felt silky-smooth and radiant when I exited the tub. Furthermore, the bath bomb left a gentle impression on my skin and I was able to pick up subtle bursts of scent for a good hour or so after exiting the tub.

For a bath bomb that I wasn't wholly bothered about to begin with, Frozen sure did a good job at defrosting my heart and making me fall in love with it. This is a product that I will buy again and again, and I only hope that they make it a permanent member of the range so I can access it a little easier than having to visit the store every few weeks.

I have been saying for years that I would love it if Lush brought out a violet-scented shower gel. As it's a fragrance that the company tend to do really well, I had no qualms about what scent family they chose to replicate - just that they had to rectify the situation quickly so I didn't keep having to sniff my fast diminishing bottle of Violet Nights every time I felt the craving coming on.

When I initially picked up a bottle of Don't Rain On My Parade Shower Gel at the weekend, I had no idea what to expect, and didn't even find out what it smelled like until I was safely home - my back contorted and my wallet crying from the extensive spending spree I had just put myself through.

Discovering that this shower gel was violet scented was probably one of the highlights of my day; discovering that it was specifically Violet Nights scented sent me into a spiral of happiness, and I may have had a jig or two about the place while my flatmates looked on with pity.

Lush state that this shower gel contains violet leaf and vanilla infusion - a collaboration that gives this beautiful shower gel a really creamy, sweet floral fragrance. While the scent is completely different, this shower gel reminded me a little of Twilight as it shares that same sugary, malty goodness that cements it as one of my favourite products from Lush.

DROMR also features fresh blueberry juice - a natural ingredient that is really great for your skin. Rich in vitamins A, C, and E, not to mention the many antioxidants that the fruit is notorious for, this ingredient helps to protect and rejuvenate your skin - repairing dry and sun-damaged pores, softening and moisturising your body and giving you a gorgeous natural glow that will see you through those harsher months.

To finish off, this shower gel also contains both sandalwood and vetivert oil, both of which add a little complexity to the scent so it has a slight earthy, woody element to it as well. Together, these ingredients create a thick, velvety-smelling violet scent that is out of this world. It bridges that gap between the floral and creamier smells, and it does it perfectly.

Out of the bottle, this shower gel showcases an interesting shade of turquoise and has a similar consistency to the likes of Ponche and Hot Toddy. As with both of these shower gels, I was expecting the thickness of this one to mean that it wouldn't lather as well as the thinner variations that Lush offer. However, I was very much mistaken.

This shower gel lathers up perfectly - creating a thick, creamy and very hydrating lather that spreads across the skin with ease. In fact, as it's so generous with how much foam it creates, you need very little with each use. For this reason, I can see this 500g bottle lasting me a good six months - that's not to say that I won't be stock-piling the product however.

What impressed me even more was how strong the product was and how much of an impression it left on my skin after I had exited the shower. I could still smell this some six hours after I had left the bathroom and it was really comforting to detect the scent on my pillow the next morning as well.

To put it simply, I am wholeheartedly in love with this shower gel and it could not have come soon enough. If you're still undecided about whether you need a violet-scented shower companion in your life, I suggest you take the plunge and acquire a bottle of this as soon as you can. You won't regret it.

28 April 2015

Any bath bomb that features popping candy as the third ingredient is pretty much guaranteed to be a hit amongst most people. While I was never a fan of the stuff when I was a child, the allure of the crackle it creates in the tub is always a welcome addition to any bath in my house. The fact that this is one of the most stunning ballistics to boot, only serves to make the experience of using this product just that little bit more special.

Intergalactic Bath Bomb could almost be mistaken for Shoot For The Stars at first glance. Sporting a vivid shade of blue with streaks of yellow and fluorescent-pink running through the middle, this new addition to Oxford Street is very similar in design. However, when side by side, these two products could not be any more different from each other.

Containing a generous helping of peppermint, cedarwood and vetivert oil, this bath bomb is a fresh, exhilarating and very uplifting minty experience. Claiming to create the scent of an 'intergalactic 80s rogue' (whatever that means!), this bath bomb is the perfect accompaniment for those who are looking for their new summer favourite. This ballistic is sure to leave your senses enlightened and your skin unworldly-soft.

On first sniff, my immediate reaction was that this bath bomb shared its scent with the very popular Dirty range. In the shop, Intergalactic gives off a slightly smoky/woody aroma, which although low in the mix, is still very noticeable on the senses. However, unlike Dirty, this bath bomb doesn't have the herbal element of the thyme that you would expect from the fragrance, and it's also a little fresher-smelling to boot.

Instead, the peppermint oil intertwines with the grapefruit oil perfectly - creating a mint-dominated aroma with a very subtle thread of citrus running alongside this. This latter ingredient dampens the harsh kick that you would normally expect from a minty product and instead offers something invigorating and refreshingly beautiful yet very rounded at the same time.

If the smell wasn't wholesome enough, this ballistic takes the experience to the next level when it's used in the bath. Upon contact with water, Intergalactic immediately begins to spew trails of vivid blue across the surface of the tub. As the bath bomb continues to fizz, elements of the pink, white and yellow make an appearance - painting swirls of colour that look like miniature galaxies in your bath.

When the bath bomb has been in the water for a good minute, you'll begin to notice that the centre of the product is full of beautiful golden lustre, which filters out with the waves of colour and creates a stunning display - making this one of the best bath bombs to come from the new flagship store.

What I loved about Intergalactic is that once you're submerged under the water, you can hear the crackling of the popping candy and enjoy the swirls of golden glitter that sway and pulsate under the surface. Furthermore, this bath bomb turns the water into a deep and very rich shade of blue - definitely making you feel like the guardian of your own galaxy. While the glitter is very much present throughout the water, it doesn't give you a messy experience and washes away easily.

As if all of that wasn't enough, when you exit the bath, the peppermint oil has a cooling effect which leaves you feeling slightly tingly all over. This, accompanied with the fact that the bath bomb is really moisturising and leaves your skin super-soft, means that it's a great all-rounder for those who enjoy mint-scented experiences.

For someone who isn't overly impressed with most mint scents, I was pleasantly surprised to find how much I loved this bath bomb. It offers something very different from most of Lush's regular range, so I know this is going to be a very popular seller by far. For all of above reasons, Intergalactic is a perfect summer bath accompaniment when you want something refreshing and instantly gratifying. I will definitely be stocking up on this during my next visit to the store.

27 April 2015

If there's one thing that the Oxford Street store reminds me, it's that there is nothing quite like a Lush experience. What I mean by that is that you're unlikely to find another shop on the high street where you can have soap freshly sliced to the size you want it; you'd be hard-pressed to discover a shop where the employees are happy to play with bubbles or offer you free samples the size of your fist; you certainly wouldn't find an establishment so proud of their wonky bubble bars and messy looking cleansers.

In fact, it is the imperfections that make Lush so desirable and so unique. Their products work, and they work well - so why care if their face masks look a little like a concoction a child might make in the garden. It is for this very reason that I was extremely excited about the prospect of trying out Lush's impressive new array of solid 'roulade-shaped' shower smoothies.

Coconut Scrubby was one of the first ones I was drawn to - partly because I was intrigued by the description and mostly because of the smell that greeted me when I first took a sniff in the shop. This smoothie may not be the most attractive or the most colourful of the ones currently available, but it's certainly one of my favourites.

While Lush have released shower smoothies before, they haven't released anything that quite looks or feels like this one. Presented as a long 'swiss roll', this product is cut into smaller pieces in store - allowing customers to choose how much or how little they'd like.

Having the smoothie in this format also means that it's far more natural and no doubt fresher than the potted ones. Unfortunately, as the product has little to no preservatives in the ingredients list, it also means that the shelf life is far less than the other format offers. I would treat all of Lush's new shower smoothies like I would with their fresh cleansers, and say that they'd probably last a good 2-3 months before needing replacing.

Made from an interesting combination of ground rice and almonds, this exfoliating smoothie has a strange consistency. It reminds me a little bit of freshly made pate - a sort of soft, sticky and slightly lumpy texture that keeps it shape but easily pulls apart when you need it to in the shower. Coconut Scrubby is also packed full of coconut milk, coconut oil, olibanum, almond and orange oil as well - all of which add to the unique aroma that it possesses.

All of these ingredients combine to create a really unique smell. To me, it has all the creaminess of coconut but with a sweet, nutty and slightly exotic aroma as well. Imagine making rice pudding using brown sugar and coconut milk - throw in a little almond milk and a splash of orange juice and you may just begin to understand what this product smells like.

The smoothie is incased in a rough, black layer that can also be found threaded throughout the whole bar. While I was expecting this to be seaweed, I was surprised to find that it felt and smelled more like ground almonds combined with oil. Unlike the seaweed you get with the cleansers, this alternative is really effective as it dissolves under the water so you can use the entire piece. Furthermore, this outer shell converts into small, gritty, black grains when it's being used and these act as a sort of gentle exfoliator for your skin.

To use the smoothie, all you need to do is break off the desired amount and lather it across your wet skin when you're in the shower. I would suggest that you do this quite rigorously as while it does create a good amount of lather, it can be a little stubborn when there's not enough force to movies across the skin. Then simply wash it off afterwards and you're left with beautiful, clean and rather fragrant skin.

Despite the impressive array of oils presented in the ingredients list, I didn't find this as nourishing on my body as I was expecting it to. While my skin was lovely and smooth afterwards, if a little taut, I didn't experience the silkiness that I would have expected with most of Lush's shower gels or jellies. If you're planning on applying body lotion afterwards, this factor is probably of little concern but if like me you don't moisturise after every shower, you may wish to only use this smoothie when you do so.

Overall, I love the concept of these smoothies and I am very excited to try out the other variations that Lush are currently offering. This is a product I would buy again - if only to enjoy the rather decadent smell as I exfoliated away the day's accumulation of dirt.

After my two days of excessive spending, I felt like I needed something to calm my jitters and comfort my soul: Sacred Lotus Bath Bomb sounded like the perfect remedy. Not only does the product have a unique and rather stunning design, but the ingredients list reads like a fairy-tail. I couldn't wait to test this beauty out in the water and see how it performed.

Lush claim that this product will allow you to 'drift away on exotic waters' and describe it as being very 'mood-brightening'. Featuring both neroli and jasmine as the main ingredients, this ballistic is a sweet but very light floral experience that is perfect for the up-and-coming spring and summer months.

Firstly, you cannot help but marvel at the strange but instantly lovable design it is presented as. Moulded on the very flower it is named after, Sacred Lotus has been created to not only look like the Buddhist symbol for fortune, but also to create a very special display in the bath tub.

As soon as it hits the water, the bath bomb begins to froth and fizz - spewing out trails of white and purple foam while it floats gracefully on the surface. This continues for a few minutes until the water has reached up the sides of the product, whereupon each of the purple petals break away and begin creating their own mounds of colour.

The whole experience takes less than five minutes but it is a beautiful sight to behold. Once the ballistic has completely dissolved, you are left with a tub full of pale, pastel coloured water that glimmers and glistens in the light. Throughout the whole experience, you'll also find puddles of white, silky foam that rest on top of the water and give you a lovely blanket to submerge under.

While Sacred Lotus is dissolving, you can appreciate the sweet but rather alluring fragrance of the neroli, jasmine and tonka. While the jasmine gives this bath bomb a lovely gentle floral element to it, the neroli offers a slightly herbaceous twist that sets the scent of this apart from your typical flowery smell. To round it all off, the tonka absolute throws in a candied note that rounds the aroma off wonderfully.

At first I was a little disappointed that the scent of this wasn't as strong as I normally like in a bath bomb. However, I quickly realised that this is a product that has purposely been created to offer a subtle, gentle smell. Sometimes I get a little wrapped up in how strong a bath bomb should smell, forgetting how wonderful it can be to appreciate something a little more relaxing and not so 'in your face'.

While the smell was quite weak in the bath, it was more noticeable on your skin once you had dried yourself down and it would easily compliment most floral perfumes that you may wish to apply afterwards.

It also left my skin really soft and well-moisturised and I appreciated how relaxed and uplifted I felt when I exited the tub. Neroli is known for increasing serotonin production in the brain, which makes us feel contented and cheerful, and I can vouch that this bath bomb did exactly that.

While it may not be the most colourful in the tub, nor the strongest of smells, there is something rather comforting and wonderful about the look and general 'feel' of this product. Sacred Lotus is definitely not my favourite new release from Lush, but it is definitely one I would like purchase again in the near future.

26 April 2015

When Lush released pictures earlier on in the year showcasing some of their new up and coming bath products, the one that really excited me was Lava Lamp. As the name suggests, this bath bomb is a tribute to those wonderful contraptions that were originally invented back in the 60s, and seem to have maintained their popularity ever since.

Sporting an orange facade with three circular, purple dots around the sides, you'd be forgiven for thinking that this ballistic is more of a tribute to the psychedelic 60s than the actual lava lamp itself, and you may be right. While I have never owned one myself, I was really excited to see what this beauty could do in the water and settled down to watch the performance.

Made from a combination of orange flower absolute, tangerine and mandarin oils, Lava Lamp is a bright, refreshing and highly fruity creation. Immediately upon removing it from it's bag, I could smell a beautiful and very sweet orangey aroma. In fact, the fragrance it gives off is almost identical to that of Brazilliant Solid Shampoo - a strong but not overly zesty citrus smell that is reminiscent of the orange starburst sweet.

Probably the most important ingredient featured here though is the extra virgin olive oil. This is what works alongside the sodium bicarbonate and all of the other elements that make up this bath bomb, to create that intended 'lava lamp effect' across the surface of the water.

As soon as you pop this ballistic into the bath, it begins to fizz noisily and spew out a tide of orange colour across the tub. As the bath bomb dissolves, the three purple discs that have been held in place, break away and begin to release streams of oil that writhes and dances on the surface of the water. This oil splits into smaller puddles and tiny specks and creates a stunning display of colour that is reminiscent of the very product that this bomb is trying to replicate.

What is particularly impressive is that some of the oil swirls around underneath the surface - occasionally rising up and creating little pockets of air that burst like bubbles. Whether this last feat was intentional or not, the effect is beautiful and definitely made the experience that little bit more impressive.Once in the bath, the fragrance of Lava Lamp remains prominent throughout the entire experience. In fact, I was really impressed with how strong the aroma was and would definitely say that it's one of Lush's longer-lasting bath bombs. Furthermore, the scent remained on my skin for hours after I had left the tub and I could smell the wonderful orange scent every time I walked past the bathroom.

As you would expect, this bath bomb is also incredibly nourishing on the body. With all of the added olive oil, this is an experience that will cleanse and moisturise your skin and leave you feeling like a shiny new penny. The citrus oils in particular are a great addition to this ballistic and I can see this being a very popular choice in the warmer months, especially if your skin is feeling dry or damaged after a day out in the sun.

Unfortunately, the amount of oils present in this product means that it creates a rather messy experience in the tub. Firstly, the purple oils tend to get on your skin and it can take some serious scrubbing to remove this before you exit the bath. Most notably, these puddles of oils also stain the sides of your tub, and as you can see from my pictures, it does make quite a mess that needs cleaning up afterwards.

This latter problem is unfortunate as I would have probably awarded Lava Lamp full marks due to how amazing it looks and smells, and how soft and nourishing it makes the water once you're immersed in it. I will definitely use this product again but next time I'll probably only use half as while the performance is stunning to observe, it's definitely not worth the aftermath.

Since the reformulated version has been released, I have noticed that the bath bomb is not as messy or as likely to stain as the original. While the ballistic still leaves puddles of purple oils on the surface of the tub, and they do tend to paint the sides of your bath tub, they are very easy to wipe off and nothing was stained after using one of these.